A jury in Australia had found Cardinal Pell guilty in December 2018 on five counts of abuse and the Victoria Court of Appeal upheld that verdict in a 2-1 decision. 

The Catholic bishops of Australia are considering recommendations from a report which would increase the participation of laypeople-especially women-in the administrative affairs of the local churches.

On this week’s episode of the “Inside the Vatican” podcast, the hosts discuss the Australian Royal Commission’s findings that Cardinal George Pell knew about priests abusing children in the Ballarat diocese as early as 1973.

Cardinal Pell was formerly Pope Francis’ finance minister and at one time the third-highest ranking cleric in the Vatican.

Cardinal George Pell, in his first television interview after being released from prison after his sexual abuse conviction was overturned, reflects on how he endured his incarceration.

“The Holy See, which has always expressed confidence in the Australian judicial authority, welcomes the High Court’s unanimous decision concerning Cardinal George Pell, acquitting him of the accusations of abuse of minors and overturning his sentence.”